Budget Surplus and Federal Debt
* President Clinton takes undue credit for the current $70-billion budget surplus. In 1995 Congress vowed to balance the budget within seven years. They did it in four years.
Peace and prosperity balanced the budget. Lest we become too euphoric over a balanced budget--the national debt stands today at $5.5 trillion.
LAURENCE J. KNIGHT
Hawthorne
* How can we have a $70-billion budget surplus with a $5.5-trillion national debt? Can’t these “pork barrel mentality” members of Congress just vote to retire $70 billion of the debt with its incumbent interest? Such a move would make all Americans feel better and our neighbors more confident. If not now, please tell us when we are going to begin paying down the principal on the national debt.
ROBERT HANKS
Van Nuys
* With everyone taking or giving credit for generating a surplus in the federal budget, I would nominate another: Ross Perot.
His half-hour, single-subject infomercials on the size and danger of federal deficits brought the problem to the attention of many who had not thought much about it and persuaded nearly every elected official to seriously consider deficit reduction and deficit elimination.
FRANK D. AMON
Los Angeles
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